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Phil Jackson Quotes (1-5)

“I gave it my body and mind, but I have kept my soul.”

“I think, obviously, coming back and working with this organization is a remarkable turnaround.”

“In basketball — as in life — true joy comes from being fully present in each and every moment, not just when things are going your way.”

“Good teams become great ones when the members trust each other enough to surrender the Me for the We.”

“The ideal way to win a championship is step by step.”

Phil Jackson Quotes (6-10)

“Winning is important to me, but what brings me real joy is the experience of being fully engaged in whatever I’m doing.”

“Once you’ve done the mental work, there comes a point you have to throw yourself into the action and put your heart on the line. That means not only being brave, but being compassionate towards yourself, your teammates and your opponents.”

“Wisdom is always an overmatch for strength.”

“If you meet the Buddha in the lane, feed him the ball.”

“Always keep an open mind and a compassionate heart.”

Phil Jackson Quotes (11-15)

“Like life, basketball is messy and unpredictable. It has its way with you, no matter how hard you try to control it. The trick is to experience each moment with a clear mind and open heart. When you do that, the game–and life–will take care of itself.”

“Approach the game with no preset agendas and you’ll probably come away surprised at your overall efforts.”

“People think I would never take on a team that has no legitimate chance to win a championship, … This is one of the major misconceptions about me. Success can be measured in many different ways. . . . Either way, I would find the challenge invigorating.”

“It’s nice to be back in this gray, dingy hallway.”

“I think the most important thing about coaching is that you have to have a sense of confidence about what you’re doing. You have to be a salesman and you have to get your players, particularly your leaders, to believe in what you’re trying to accomplish on the basketball floor.”

Phil Jackson Quotes (16-20)

“Red and I, I think, have a mutual admiration. That’s all I can say.”

“You have to have someone coming off the bench who has experience, knowledge and ability.”

“Despite their tremendous talent, (NBA players) are still, by and large, young adults, seeking validation from an authority figure, and there is no greater authority figure on a team than the coach. Needless to say, in today’s warped, self-indulgent climate, too many players couldn’t care less about appeasing the coach.”

“I thrive on challenges, and there is no more imposing challenge for someone in my profession than winning an NBA title.”

“An acrobatic dunk will make it onto SportsCenter. A simple, unspectacular bounce pass in the rhythm of the offense will not. System basketball has been replaced by players who want to be the system.”

Phil Jackson Quotes (21-25)

“Yes, victory is sweet, but it doesn’t necessarily make life any easier the next season or even the next day.”

“Determined, dedicated, disciplined. I think he’s ready to play. For Kobe, it’s about re-establishing his dominance in the game.”

“Basketball, unlike football with its prescribed routes, is an improvisational game, similar to jazz. If someone drops a note, someone else must step into the vacuum and drive the beat that sustains the team.”

“The best part of basketball, for those people on the inside, is the bus going to the airport after you’ve won a game on an opponent’s floor. It’s been a very tough battle. And preferably, in the playoffs. And that feeling that you have, together as a group, having gone to an opponent’s floor and won a very good victory, is as about as high as you can get.”

“Love is the force that ignites the spirit and binds teams together.”

Phil Jackson Quotes (26)

“Basketball is a sport that involves the subtle interweaving of players at full speed to the point where they are thinking and moving as one.”